FAQs

For Mission Viejo, Dana Point, Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, and unincorporated areas please call (714) 834-5503.

The Orange County Sheriff-Coroner Department is dedicated to providing the residents of Orange County with relevant and timely information regarding the services the department offers. This site is designed to give general information as well as specific requirements regarding applying for a Business license from the Orange County Sheriff-Coroner Department.

• Business Definition Ordinance 

• Application, Fees & Issuance, Revocation, Appeals Ordinance 

• Massage Establishment & Massage Technicians Ordinance 

• Second Hand Dealer & Pawnbroker Laws 

• OCSD License Fee Breakdown 

• Contact information for licenses not handled by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department 

Contact Us

Business License line:  714-834-5503 or earamirez@ocsd.org
Business License Fax:  714-834-5822
Sheriff’s General line:  714-834-5100

Directions

The Orange County Sheriff-Coroner Department Business licensing desk is located at 320 N. Flower Street, Santa Ana.  The office is open Tuesday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (with the exception of County holidays).

The mailing address is: 

Orange County Sheriff-Coroner Department
Attn: Business Licensing Desk
PO Box 449
Santa Ana, CA  92702

Businesses Licensed by the Sheriff's Department:

• Bingo Games
• Bingo Official
• Canvasser/Solicitor
• Coin Dealer
• Dance Instructor
• Dance Studio
• Escort
• Escort Bureau
• Figure Model (Nude)
• Figure Model (Studio)
• Gun Dealer
• Interlocutrix (Nude)
• Interlocutrix Studio
• Junk Collector
• Junk Dealer
• Massagist
• Peddler
• Pool Room
• Public Bath/Massage Parlor
• Public Dance
• Rap Session (Nude)
• Secondhand Dealer
• Taxicab Stand

The County Clerk (714) 834-2500.

• State Board of Equalization (714) 558-4059.
• Seller's Permit Information 1(800)400-7115.

State Environmental Management Agency (714) 834-2626.

• South Orange County: (949) 425-1900
• North Orange County (Villa Park/Unincorporated areas): (714) 647-7083
• West Orange County (Stanton): (714) 891-2481

Live Scans: 11 Journey, Aliso Viejo, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Monday through Friday (except holidays). Live scans are by appointment only. Please call (949) 425-1801. Cost varies per services requested.

Fingerprint Cards: 320 N. Flower Street, Santa Ana and 11 Journey, Aliso Viejo, from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Monday through Friday (except holidays). No appointment is necessary. Cost is $10 for the first card and $1 for each additional card. Valid picture ID is required.

Go to the FBI website  to obtain fingerprint cards if needed.

Questions? Please call:

• Santa Ana Office at (714) 834-6460
• Aliso Viejo Office at (949) 425-1801

Select the E-services tab and use Arrest Warrants or call (714) 834-6472.

Yes, as long as your neighbor is legally parked and it is a public street.

Yes. You will need to provide us with the telephone number of the residence and your telephone number if you would like to be contacted regarding the disposition of the welfare check. For welfare checks please call (714) 647-7000.

Restraining orders are issued by a Superior Court Judge. If you would like additional information regarding restraining orders please call (714) 973-0134.

72 hours

Yes. It is legal to carry pepper spray without a permit for defense purposes only.

You will need to obtain the license plate number or VIN and call (714) 647-7000. The Desk Officer will be able to tell you where it was towed, and why.

• Cash bail may be paid in cash, credit or debit card, bank Cashier’s checks, personal checks, money orders, and Traveler’s checks. 
• Effective at noon on October 9, 2012, payment of bail may be made through EZ Card and Kiosk Company. EZ Card and Kiosk offers online payments using a debit or credit card, kiosk payments (located in the lobby of both the Intake and Release Center (IRC) and the Theo Lacy Branch Jail) as well as telephone payments.
• Bail can be posted 24/7 at the IRC Cashier's Office for inmates housed at any Orange County Sheriff’s Department Jail facility.  
• Bail can be posted at the Theo Lacy Cashier's Office only for inmates housed at the Theo Lacy Jail.  The Theo Lacy Cashier’s Office is open from 6:30 pm until midnight Monday through Thursday and from 8:00 am until midnight Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
• If the inmate is a new booking and has completed the booking process or has appeared in court and has been remanded to the custody of the Sheriff, bail can be posted at the IRC Cashier's Office at 550 N. Flower St., Santa Ana.
• If the inmate has been sentenced, bail cannot be posted.
• Bail/Bond information will be available approximately six hours after booking time.

The average time is approximately 4 hours, but could be as little as 2, or as much as 6 hours.

Usually, 2 to 3 hours.

• During regular visiting days and times, simply advise the Deputy at the information desk that you need a Property Release Form. Complete the form in detail and return it to the Deputy who will obtain the inmate's signature. When the form is signed, the property will be brought to the information desk. You must wait until all of the above steps have been completed. If you do not wait, the property will be returned to storage and the process will begin again when you return. Only in cases of extreme emergency can it be done outside of regular visiting days and times.

It is the policy of our Sheriff to contact every victim of a crime in person. If you are not available at the time of the incident, a deputy will respond to your location another time, at your convenience.